


Glimpses - Inktober 2019 short stories

by Shibakamiko



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempt at Humor, Blizzards & Snowstorms, Clumsiness, Cute, Dominant Aranea Highwind, Episode Prompto DLC, Fear of Death, Feels, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Inktober 2019, Innuendo, Multi, Muscles, Niflheim (Final Fantasy XV), Photography, Praise Kink, Ring of the Lucii (Final Fantasy XV), Secret Crush, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Sex, Short Stories, Unrequited Love, Voice Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-24 21:27:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22004698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shibakamiko/pseuds/Shibakamiko
Summary: Just little one-shots with various pairings, based on the Inktober 2019 list.1) Ring (Ignoct), 2) Mindless (Promptis), 3) Bait (Aranoct), 4) Frozen (Promnea), 5) Build (Gladnis), 6) Husky (Promptio), 7) Enchanted (Carbuncle & Noctis - NOT A SHIP)
Relationships: Aranea Highwind/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum, Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum/Aranea Highwind, Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37
Collections: Inktober 2019





	1. Ring (Ignoct)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've wanted to partake in that Inktober challenge for years, from a writer perspective, but every damn time work gets worse around that period of the year and I end up missing it entirely -_-. But this time I thought, hey, why stop at October anyway? So there, I'm gonna shamelessly start it almost three months later lol  
> Might not be able to post every day, but will try to, and I WILL definitely do all 31 prompts! (there's a bit of self-persuasion there too XD)  
> Also there will be various pairings in there :) and if you want me to write on a particular one, feel free to ask in the comment section and I'll see what I can do! (maybe I won't stick to just FFXV either...? Dunno yet. My head is in a perpetual "work in progress" mode haha)  
> Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the read~

It was a small thing. A most harmless-looking item, really. No outside eye could have thought of it as anything else than a precious heirloom to the royal family. But Noctis knew better than that.  
The Ring of the Lucii was a curse… a poison, terrible and insidious.  
As a kid, no one had told him the whole story. How that intricate black ring, with its shiny diamond-like stone, so fascinating for the young prince… was slowly consuming his father’s life, in exchange for the city’s protection behind that magical wall. A child would ask no question. A child would never notice the small, almost invisible wrinkles marking the king’s face a little more each passing day. Nor the few silver-colored hair growing in Regis’ dark hair.  
But a teen would remark it.  
At the age of fourteen, Noctis witnessed his father, his only remaining family, limp more and more in the long corridors of the Citadel. At fifteen, he saw the king’s pain-laced expression, sometimes, when he thought himself well-hidden from prying eyes and allowed himself to rub at his aching leg. At sixteen, he felt his heart die a little, when suddenly a cane appeared in the monarch’s hand to help keep him steady, while his weakening body no longer could.  
And oh, how fragile a teen’s mind was… how easy to scar…  
All of it etched a permanent wound, deep inside the prince’s very soul. At first, attempts were made to try talking to his father, in an angry outburst that had nothing to do with rage, and everything with terror. Telling him how ridiculous it was to surrender to such fate, and resign oneself to wither only for others’ to thrive. To walk consciously to an early grave, with no real guarantee of a better tomorrow.  
But Regis never changed his mind. Simply replying to his son’s worries, every time, with a smile. Sad, and tired.  
That was probably the worst of it all, that smile…  
Now, the prince neared his coming-of-age ceremony. He knew his father would pass away soon, it was only a matter of time –five years, maybe ten at best. The fifty years-old soul now resided in such a diminished body, the king looked twenty years older. And when it would happen… when Noctis would have buried his very last parent… then, the Ring would be in his hands. Just as shiny and untouched than on the first day it was made. Ready to feed on another life.  
A curse. A poison. A leech, passed down from generation to generation, until what? An hypothetical divine salvation? What was the point of all this, all these sacrifices…  
Tonight, that Ring would visit the prince’s dreams again. Whether as black snake strangling his father, or a circular shadow looming above him, or a dark living line tattooed on his finger and slowly eating away at his flesh… it took many shapes, but it would be there. Making him twist and turn and whimper in his sleep, until the Gods would allow him the mercy of a sudden waking in the form of cold sweat and a shrill scream.  
No one knew about these night terrors in his entourage. No one… except the only person he trusted. The one who had been by his side since childhood, who he accepted to share his heart, his life and his burden with.  
A certain someone who was currently shaking him in panicked, urgent gestures.

“Noctis… _Noctis!_ Come on, wake up... please, wake up! Come back to me!”

At the sound of that voice, the nightmares released their grip on the prince – one claw at a time, as if reluctant to give him some respite. Noctis’ eyelids began fluttering, revealing only white at first, before his eyes rolled back in place and opened, the young man taking a brutal, gasping breath. He blinked once, twice, trying to focus on the room that seemed to spin around him. Ah yes… he was home. Safe.  
For now.

“Ig… Iggy?”

Even without the glasses, he would recognize that face among thousands. The anxious crease of these brows beneath dirty blond bangs… these shining green eyes seeking his with so much care and concern…  
Actually… more concern than he usually would?  
Something warm felt unpleasantly wet on his left hand, and Noctis’ gaze lowered... to the vivid crimson of blood. _Drip… drip…_ coating the bed sheets, one droplet fell after the other, steadily, from his ring finger. Where nails had scratched and scratched, over and over in his sleep, and carved into the flesh… Desperate to remove a ring that wasn’t there.  
Yet.  
This time, the tears he kept locked inside reached the point of no return, and he was powerless to stop them. Only able to bring his knees up and curl up on himself, tight, as tight as he could. As if he wished nothing more but to disappear.

“… I don’t wanna wear it…”

A mere whisper, buried in folded arms. Words that weighted on his chest, on his heart, eating him away all these years… yet words he never allowed himself to say.

“Iggy, I don’t wanna wear it…!”

And all Ignis could do was wrap his arms around the trembling prince and hold onto that wounded hand, lips kissing the boy’s head and the black, tangled hair stifling his painful reply – the only one he could offer.

“I know…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty sure some of you didn't read the tags and expected it to be a wedding ring or something... and look how I trampled your dreams like the monster I am X'D Sorry guys! Just thought I'd avoid the obvious path in favor of a darker plot. But I won't always make it sad, promise ^^
> 
> Next prompt will be: Mindless~


	2. Mindless (Promptis)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 of Inktober challenge, and for now things are progressing smoothly; woohoo!

_Clic._

The shutter closed on yet another picture, probably the nineteenth today – and it wasn’t even noon. That camera had taken such an important place in Prompto’s life, these days… Oh, he always enjoyed the hobby of course. Since childhood, he would bring a camera with him wherever he went, letting the device handle the duty of remembrance for all these small yet wonderful details he knew his mind wouldn’t do justice to. Sometimes it was a scenery, sometimes an animal – dog, cat, birds flying in the sky… he would always find a subject to photograph. Just for fun, at first.  
But now…  
Now, with the four of them on their haphazard trip outside of the capital, the situation was entirely different. If he could, he would capture every single moment of the day. Immortalizing them on glazed paper, for all eternity. Some feeling of urgency seemed to push him forward; for what reason, he didn’t know. But he realized, more intensely with each passing day, that he tended to focus on one subject in particular…  
_Clic.  
_Another one. He couldn’t help it. It was an automatism at this point, a mindless instinct. He wanted more, needed more… More of these sparkling blue eyes, more of that beautiful smile, of these shining spiky dark hair, of that silhouette clad in black that had nothing regal to it – yet.  
More of _him_.  
When the third clicking sound in a minute echoed in the overall silent slough, Noctis gave a slightly annoyed growl. Turning around to look at him, half glaring, half grinning, his fishing rod waved in a playfully threatening way.

“The heck are you doing, dude?! You’re scaring the fishes away!”  
“My bad, my bad!” Laughing, the blond offered a gesture of surrender, both hands raised. The camera hanging from its strap at his wrist. “Apologies, oh mighty King of Fishing! I had _no_ idea your precious vassals were too shy for my humble lens!”

And Six, when Noctis rolled his eyes then… an amused curved at the corner of his lips… Prompto swore he felt his chest hurt at that. Aah, another moment he would have loved to keep forever... and one he missed. It tasted like failure.

“What’s so interesting to photograph here anyway?”

Unaware of his best friend’s heartache, the prince had gotten back to his favorite activity. Swinging the line above his head in a graceful twist of the hand, and throwing the hook far into the tranquil waters. A couple meters ahead, a dense morning mist hid the opposite shore from view. Even the enormous Catoblepas couldn’t be seen, only their low rumbling roars hinting at their presence.

“With such a shitty weather, I don’t think you’ll get nice pictures anyway.”

He had no idea, did he… Despite himself, Prompto gave a sad little smile.

“Oh, you’d be surprised.”

There wasn’t a single photo of the scenery. Only of _him_. Later on, the blond would find a way to sneak a couple more shots here and there, in battle, of Ignis cooking, of Gladio setting up camp; useless pictures, a smokescreen for him to hide both his obsession and his feelings.  
Maybe one day he would be able to tell him… without the fear of ruining everything they already had. But for now he could go through his prizes of the day, his personal collection, without having to share them with anybody.

Yes… photography really had become a second nature for him. It came from the heart, not the head.

_Because I’m mindlessly in love with you…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I wanted to go for mindless as in "no brain activity involved". I dunno if it's the actual meaning of it, but that's how I felt it at least ^^  
> This one's a bit bittersweet, but less depressing than the previous one I guess? Haha, sorry, will make it funnier next time!
> 
> Next prompt will be: Bait~


	3. Bait (Aranoct)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That ship doesn't get much love, for some reason? I don't even know if it has an actual name?? But Aranea's honestly my fave girl to throw in Noct's arms, so this here is a tiiiny bit self-indulgent hehe X3 Gotta love your dom Mama Dragoon~

He should have seen it coming. From the very moment they set foot in Steyliff Grove, Noctis _knew_ something fishy was afoot. Something about the way Aranea’s lips seemed fixed on a discreet grin behind her helmet… or how _suspiciously polite_ she had been, when she asked him to lead the way. Alas. A king chosen by the Gods as he might be, the heir of Lucis was merely twenty. And at such a young age, hormones tended to speak louder than reason. Thus, his attention had been entirely focused on the Dragoon Knight’s pleasing curves rather than the rest… and he played right in her hands.  
First, there were these skeletons, popping at random in the various corridors and all but charging straight to him, because heh, first come first served. Then a bit further, the stone floor gave way beneath his feet without any kind of warning, and the welcome party down there included these – disgustingly repulsive – slimy things and an Iron Giant to boot. He knew he heard both Ignis and Prompto yell his name then, worry evident in the tone of their voices… but not Aranea. No; she just waited until the whole regiment of monster was on him, very damn close to murdering him, then _casually_ dropped on the swarming mass with her spear for the most impressive one-hit-K.O. Noctis had ever seen.  
That, he thought, he could have forgiven. But, last but not least, there was that _fucking_ _dragon_ … To think she’d urge him on into that last room, only to get the giant creature out of its hiding spot! Granted, it helped bring it down to floor level and pummel the heck out of it… but still! When the thing dropped onto him from above, he could have been turned into a bloody pulp!  
Now, as the corpse of their opponent lied dead, its claws turned lifelessly toward the ceiling and its tongue hanging out, Noctis waited a couple seconds for his two friends to go get that mythril, and once he was sure they wouldn’t hear a thing, he turned to the lady at his side and glared.

“You did that on purpose! All of it!” he accused.

In reply, she simply pulled off her helmet, and shook her hair to put it back to its rightful place.

“Why yes, yes I did?” she admitted – without any form of remorse, that little devil. “What about it?”

“You…!” Gods, that sly grin was back on her lips, and really, it shouldn’t look that sexy… but it did. And the prince instantly lost all composure. Fumbling for words, suddenly unable to form a coherent sentence. Though he persisted, and finally managed to utter, in a slightly squeaky voice: “That’s… I-I’m not a bait for you to use, okay?!”

“Oh, yes you are~” One of her elegant, gloved hands rested on his chest, a light pressure, but just with that she managed to slowly back him up against the nearest wall. Her eyes looking deep into his, as she leaned close, closer than decency would allow. “My cute little princey… Not my fault you attract everything like a magnet. Monsters, Imperials…” she chuckled, her breath hot over his skin, “even me.”

What could he retort to that? Nothing. Especially not when her mouth brushed against his. It wasn’t a kiss, not really… but it felt close enough to one for Noctis’ last working brain cells to give up entirely.

“Any other grievance you’d like to talk to me about…?” she inquired, in a most innocent tone. The only response he could give to that was a vigorous shake of the head. “Good. Because we better catch up with your friends over there before they begin asking… awkward questions.”

And with a twirl of her long split skirt, she swayed toward their two companions. Only to come to an halt halfway, however

“Oh! And before I forget…”Turning her head, she winked at him above her shoulder. “Rest assured, honeybuns. I would never have let you die there.”

That was the last straw for the prince, who felt his face heat up to a burning crimson. He should have found something to say, should have at least tore his gaze away from her as she walked away… but no. Instead, he stayed frozen on the spot. Jaw almost dropped to the floor, and his eyes not missing a single detail of her definitely way too gorgeous silhouette.

_Shit._

If that wasn’t a crush, it sure looked like one…

Well, all things considered.... maybe playing the bait wasn't too bad. If he got to be _her_ bait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steyliff Grove might be my fave dungeon in all FFXV; dat water ceiling...!  
> Anyhow, what do you think of that ship? Yay, nay?
> 
> Next prompt will be: Frozen~


	4. Frozen (Promnea)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be a more popular ship, since Episode Prompto and the two teaming up together. Though I never wrote about them... and it's probably the first time I'm gonna write something without Noct being there, too XD That feels so weird!  
> Anyhow, on with it~

A never-ending mantle of white cloaked Niflheim’s plains. Nothing seemed to move, nothing seemed to live, as far as the eyes could see… as if the whole of Nature held her breath, waiting for better days to warm up her icy core.  
And yet, Prompto kept walking.  
How long had it been since his fall from that train, days? Weeks? He couldn’t remember. Even his mind felt numb from the cold, his thoughts hazy, clouded by the very same snowstorm that had been slapping his face ever since he left that Imperial outpost. Good thing he could borrow some warmer clothes there; had he wore his usual Crownsguard fatigue, he would have been dead by now. Though it may only be a matter of time until the end of his road anyway…  
Frozen to death in the middle of enemy territory. All alone. With, as sole company, the thought that his prince and best friend now hated him with every fiber of his being… He never imagined things would meet such a conclusion, but oddly, he wasn’t surprised. Who would want to be his friend anyway? It was a miracle Noctis bore with him all these years. Prompto had no special talent for battle, none of Gladio’s strength or Ignis’ intellectual capacities. He was but a simple citizen with a mysterious past…  
 _And some serious self-hatred problem_ , he added, mentally giving himself a mirthless snort.  
The wind howled even more violently now, and he had to bend in two to progress. One arm shielding his face as best he could, the other holding the scarf up to protect his nose and mouth. Never before did he experience such intense cold… his lungs burnt, his skin ached under the storm’s icy bites. He could almost feel that cold invade his very flesh, up to the bones.  
And still there was nothing and no one in sight. Only the tundra, and the mountains far behind.  
Eventually his legs gave way, his body too tired to fight any longer. He didn’t try to get up. That was it, heh? Game over. He wouldn’t get to see the others’ again… wouldn’t get to apologize to Noct for whatever he did.  
Well… at least if he died there, no one would miss him.  
Closing his eyes, he let one single, frozen tear fell down his cheek… and surrendered to the snow.

He didn’t imagine he would wake up again, but he did. The stone ceiling of a cavern hang over his head, a fire crackling nearby – and its heat stung so brutally over his frostbitten skin that he immediately knew he couldn’t be dead. And besides, wasn’t his head currently resting on something… supple, and warm…? Brows furrowed, he blinked, giving a quiet whine as he tried to see better.  
A pale face above him… plump lips… grey tresses framing delicate features…  
His heart did a somersault in his chest.

“A… Aranea…?”

Wait, wha… what was he doing _on her lap??  
_ His first reflex was to try getting up in a panicked rush, but the cold had made his gestures too slow, too weak, and she merely had to grab him by the collar to pull him back down, his head on her thighs.

“No moving until I say so.” she ordered, clicking her tongue. “Foolish boy… no one ever told you you had to seek shelter or curl up on yourself in a blizzard? Not walk around aimlessly like an idiot!”

Her words held reproaches, but her eyes showed an evident concern, almost bordering on fear… and Prompto didn’t dare to find excuses. Instead, he lowered his gaze to the campfire. Carefully moving his fingers and toes to get some blood and life flow in them. Something pleasantly soft circled his neck, and when he managed to lift a hand and touch it, he found a red-colored scarf there. One of Aranea’s belongings, maybe?

“How…” Damn, his voice sounded so hoarse… he had to gulp once, twice, before making a second attempt: “How did you… find me?”

Her shoulders rose on a shrug.

“By _searching_.” she stated, matter-of-factly. “I came across the little prince and his friends, back in Tenebrae. Without you…”

Her voice seemed to lower to a whisper at that last part, and she very obviously averted her eyes. Focusing on the soup can she had placed to warm up over the fire, stirring it with a wooden stick.

“He said you… fell from that train. He was worried sick, you know? So I came all the way here. To find you.”

She came… for him? Prompto could barely believe his ears. She actually cared? And her words just then… he might be dense sometimes, but he couldn’t help but feel like they held some hidden truth. Aranea Highwind would never do something for someone else, unless she got money out of it. So if she looked for him for free, it could only mean...  
Smiling hurt his dry lips, but Prompto just couldn’t help it.

“You… were worried sick too, weren’t you.”

And from the way she stiffened at that… he knew he hit the nail on the head.

“Well, you’re absolutely powerless without me.” she countered. A similar grin beginning to grow on her face, too. “Can’t let you die on my watch, shortcake.”

And Prompto felt happy with that. Because that was the closest he could get from her to an ‘I like you’.

“Well, thanks… Aranea. For saving me.” Could one get frozen and yet burn from the inside at the same time? It sure felt like so… his chest seemed ablaze, and that flame in there pushed the cold away better than any fire or scarf ever would.

In response, she gave a quiet chuckle.

“I merely picked up your cold butt, no need for thanks.” And her gloved hand went to cup his cheek. Thumb gently brushing at the skin, in the most tender gesture he ever saw her make… “Now rest… we need to get you back on your feet. You’re gonna meet up with little princey, right?”

This time, when Prompto closed his eyes and let himself relax in her embrace, he felt better… and more loved than ever in his life.

“Yeah… yeah, I will.” _In due time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next prompt: Build  
> (And I'm gonna be honest, I have zero idea for this one so far, so any suggestion would be most welcome -praying hands-)


	5. Build (Gladnis)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone!  
> Let's start 2020 with yet another unusual ship! Damn, that challenge's full of first times huh? It's fun to try all these new things though, and play with characters I would never attempt to write on in normal circumstances ^^  
> I went for "build" as in "physical build" there, I have no idea if it's accepted...?  
> And yes, Mr Perfect Man Scientia can have his moments of clumsiness lol

Nature, it seemed, wasn’t fair with everyone. A truth Ignis tended to forget sometimes; but it only took one second for him to remember… as soon as he walked in the Citadel’s private training hall, and spotted Gladiolus there.  
The sight alone was enough to force him to an halt in the doorway. One eye twitching, just once, on an overall emotionless face. Six… he should be used to it by now, it wasn’t the first time he stumbled upon the scene, but still… The Shield of the future king sure had one of the nicest builds he had the chance to lay eyes upon. Look at him, lifting a weight probably equaling to Ignis’ own, like one would hold a simple pen… There were years of practice behind it, of course, and the adviser knew Gladiolus spared no effort when it came to working on his muscular development; an Amicitia thing, he figured, because at fifty his father Clarus did just the same. But despite knowing that, he couldn’t help but feel… slightly jealous.  
On reflex, his eyes lowered onto his own silhouette. Almost twenty years old now, and still scrawny as a mere teenager… unacceptable. Admittedly, all the paper works he had to handle and lessons he had to take monopolized most of his time, not to mention the house chores he needed to do for Noctis, who seemed on a quest to see how many empty ramen boxes his apartment could hold before exploding. Thus, the moments Ignis could spend on physical training could be counted in minutes, these days. Which didn’t help his situation.  
A quiet sigh slipped through his lips, unnoticed. He would have to remedy that, and soon… As a member of the Crownsguard, he _had_ to be able to protect the prince just as much as the royal Shield if needed. And… if he wanted to attract some attention, too.  
Well, it was never too late for good resolutions, was it? Brushing his t-shirt of an imaginary dust, he made his way to the nearest bench to set down his towel and the files he seemed to carry around anywhere he went, and starting the treadmill, hopped onto it for some running.  
… or at least, that was the initial plan. But before long, somehow, his gaze found its way back to the other man. Still busy lifting – and _with one single hand this time,_ _sweet heaven_ …  
Despite himself, Ignis began staring, mesmerized, at the way the muscles on the Shield’s back contracted… how his biceps swelled with the effort… that tempting trail of sweat running down his spine…  
… hold on… _JUST WHERE DID THAT THOUGHT COME FROM??_

“Wah-!!”

None of his lessons ever taught him that, but apparently one couldn’t run on a treadmill _and_ look aside at the same time. His right foot accidentally caught in the machine’s frame. His ankle twisted. And that was enough to throw him off balance and eject him straight off the thing, with a shrill yelp and a much inelegant curse… that had to do with the fire god’s hairy balls or something of the kind.  
And since bad luck always came in a package…

“You ok there?”

Ignis’ usually pale face seemed to turn even whiter at that sudden question. Oh goodness no… don’t tell him he attracted the attention of the one person he wanted to avoid more at this precise moment…

“Ah… y-yes, yes I am.”

 _I certainly did not just make a huge fool of myself, thank you very much_ , he added with an inner grimace. To think he would show a rare clumsy side in front of Gladiolus, of all people… His eyes met the other’s, and he had to take upon himself _a lot_ not to look away under that intense gaze and the crooked grin on the Shield’s face. And he only felt the mortification to an even stronger level, when he noticed that unwilling stunt sent his glasses flying and the other man had to pick them up for him.

“Hm. Thank you.” At least he managed to ignore the Shield’s offered hand and get up on his own. Again, dusting himself for absolutely no reason, before accepting the glasses. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to… interrupt you in such a shameful way.”

That got a snort out of Gladiolus.

“Heh, gotta admit, I never imagined you could swear like that. That was enlightening.” he commented, the grin on his lips stretching a bit more.

Ignis’ back stiffened, his own lips twisting in the beginning of a pout.

“Well, glad I could be of _assistance_.” he retorted. He didn’t mean to sound aggressive, he just… hated to look like an idiot in general. And surprisingly even more when it involved this man here. Or… maybe not that surprising… if his recent thoughts were any indication.

_Oh no you don’t, mind. You’re not taking that path again!_

His attitude didn’t deter Gladiolus to the least though. This time he laughed out loud, giving the adviser a hard pat on the back.

“Allow me to be of assistance too, then!” he proposed. And leaning closer, his voice turned to a sultry murmur as he said: “Next time you wanna stare at the goods… just ask.”

And the only thing Ignis could reply to that was a strangled gasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next prompt: Husky~  
> (and fair warning, that one miiight be nsfw)


	6. Husky (Promptio)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so... this is smut entirely XD. The only thing I could think of with that word was "husky sex voice", soooo.... yeah haha.  
> Also I skipped a day >_< was out most of the time yesterday and couldn't get my brain to work on writing when I got home. Le sigh.

“ _Good boy…_ ”

It was that voice again… that perfect voice. The exact tone Prompto liked, deep, slightly raspy; just controlled enough, yet on the verge of losing it. A tone that made his body tremble shamelessly, his own lips part on a breathless sound of pleasure.  
He lived for that voice, he realized.  
Oh, the praise was worth taking of course, he wouldn’t deny the exhilarating sensation of pride he always felt upon hearing these words – a quite unusual sensation, for someone who thought of himself as nothing more than a nuisance barely tolerated most of the time. Blame it on his parents for neglecting him maybe. Or on his miserable normality compared to, say, his best friend and future king. Or just on his mind, that treacherous thing, who tended to see the glass half – if not entirely – empty… Here in that man’s arms though, the praises came almost naturally, almost… as if he really deserved it, and that was something Prompto would never grow tired of.  
But, he had to admit… as pleasant as it felt, it couldn’t compare to the simple tone of the voice saying it.  
Nothing got him in the mood better than that. Nothing got him quivering and whining in need just as much. He couldn’t quite pinpoint why exactly… Part of him always liked Gladio’s voice in general – low, rumbling, like an upcoming thunderstorm. Dominating, too. That voice left no place for argument, and call him a pervert for that if you might but Prompto _liked_ being commanded. It filled his lonely fantasies for a long time at first, before things began kicking up, with Noctis acting as an in-between to bring the two men closer, and…  
Well… from friends to lovers, apparently, the line could be pretty thin.

“You’re taking it so well, baby… doing so good for me…”

The breathless words registered in his mind but lost all meaning, entirely drown in the vibration, the arousing chant of that voice echoing in his ear. And Prompto arched his back, pressing against Gladio’s broad chest, welcoming more of that cock inside of him. Yes… a very, very thin line… so much so that he didn’t even remember how they ended up like this: a dating pair, finding every occasion they could to get a bed, a trailer or – like today – the tent just for themselves. To lose their mind to each other’s touch. The transition came so smoothly, as if… as if it was just meant to be. And instead of bringing them apart, that departure from the crown city and into the wilds for Noctis’ wedding only seemed to intensify the lust and need they felt for one another, to the point of frantic urgency. They had begun exploring more paths, letting go of inhibitions that shouldn’t have existed, and now…  
Now, Gladio probably picked up on the blond’s little kinks. Because not a single occasion passed without these lips finding Prompto’s ear, and that husky, oh-so _deliciously_ deep voice, whispering its filthy promises to his attention only…  
And Prompto could find no reason to complain about that.  
A deep grunt echoed behind him. A hand left his hips, leaving blue imprints of fingertips on pale skin, to sneak up front and take a hold of his so far untouched member, the sweet contact backed up by the request – no – the _order_ to come, here and now, for his lover… and he just couldn’t control himself anymore. His head went blank. Only that voice, that tone, echoing inside of him. His own cries breaking on a silent, wordless plea, as he came all over Gladio’s hand and the sleeping bag beneath.  
One day, he thought, he wouldn’t even need the stimulation. Just these whispers and groans to take him all the way...  
When the Shield turned him over for a second round, he could only throw his arms around the man’s neck, a big, almost delirious grin on his lips. And murmur in return:

“Talk husky to me…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another ship I never wrote for before, and god was it hard to find a way to conclude that short story.... ugh. Hope you got the pun at least...! My french brain tends to take weird shortcuts sometimes ^^; sorry  
> And I'm starting to think that I must be a special kind of masochist, to willingly decide to write on a different pairing every day lol. Anyhow.
> 
> Next prompt will be: Enchanted~


	7. Enchanted (Carbuncle & Noctis - NOT A SHIP)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, again, for skipping a day, but besides being sick as hell I also feel a strong disappointment in humanity these past days... anyhow. Gonna repeat that but, for once, TODAY'S CHARACTERS ARE NOT A SHIP. I don't do furry, and especially not with a child... eeeww. No, this is just cute and a protective/family-like Carbuncle worrying about the smol prince; nothing more.  
> I hope you'll enjoy that brief moment of pointless fluff

Calmly, an amused expression on his furry muzzle, Carbuncle watched the prince’s enchanted reaction at today’s dreamscape.   
Magic powers or not, the fox-like messenger of the gods had to admit: every day was a challenge, if he wanted to surpass the previous one. Yesterday, for example, had been a visit down the depths of the sea, with its colorful corals and schools of fishes, the iridescent bubbles floating around, the peaceful silence… The day prior, he created a ‘desert of desserts’ (and believe him when he said, he felt pretty proud of this one), with brown sugar replacing the sand and dunes made of crepes, donuts or ice creams around an oasis of chocolate. And today, Carbuncle could give himself a mental pet on the head, because he really outdid himself with that mysterious forest.  
Between the trees of various shapes and types, embracing every shade of green, the soft luminescent moss covering the ground, the rocks made of glowing gemstones, and the fantastic fauna of lemurs, parrots and butterflies, it took long and exhausting hours of concentration for the fox-like messenger of the gods to create it all, ex nihilo. For anyone else, he would only build one part of the entire scenery, then copy it as much as needed; his sleeping guests never stayed for long, nor did they remember much when they wake up. But Noctis… oh, poor Noctis… A sad shadow crossed over Carbuncle’s features, his ears dropping a little, as he thought about the Lucian prince. Forced on a never-ending slumber until his wounds heal, both the physical and mental ones… Being an astral creature, and at the same time a wooden figure in real life, the mint fennec could see both sides of the boy. His motionless form, lying on that bed, cared for by a desperate father who would give everything to get his son’s eyes to open again. And his soul, here in dreamland, who could run around, climb up trees, play a game of cat and mouse with the various animals brought there for his happiness only.  
If he could, Carbuncle would gladly close his third eye forever and stay there. A joyful Noctis was his favorite Noctis. Hence why he worked so hard for the boy's sake, to try and make his forced stay there as pleasant as he could.

Right now, the young prince had gotten up an old trunk, only to slide down a huge leave seconds after with a gleeful squeal. Hundreds of dandelion seeds exploded as his feet hit the ground, and he stared at them rising to the sky, eyes sparkling.  
That was something Carbuncle felt the most grateful for: his creations never lost their awe factor for the boy.  
With a tiny yip, the messenger left his bed of moss and trotted to the little human’s side. Hopping lightly on his shoulder.

_“Are you happy today, Noctis?”_ he asked, the words appearing on Noctis’ smartphone screen for him to see.

The prince’s lips twisted into a most adorable smile, and he nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes! Really happy! It all looks so pretty, so full of colors…” As he spoke, he let his gaze embrace the forest around them. The shadows of the tress kept most of it hidden from view still, but Noctis knew there was so much to explore still. “It must be complicated to make, huh. But…” cocking his head, he looked into the creature’s dark eyes, and his expression took a more bittersweet turn, “you’re doing this all for me… aren’t you? Because I’m asleep and I can’t wake up?

He noticed… well, of course he would, he wasn’t the King of Kings, bearer of the royal lineage’s most impressive powers, for nothing. However, Carbuncle couldn’t help but feel sorry for the child. He shouldn’t have to shoulder this burden, here in dreamland at least…

_“Noctis…”_

But before he could say anything, the prince held a finger over his snout and shook his head.

_“_ “No no, I’m not sad! I know I’ll wake up eventually. And I like it here. Really.” And with a disarmingly honest smile, he added: “So thank you, Carbuncle.”

‘Thank you’… no one ever told him these words before. How odd, how wonderful they sounded, to Carbuncle’s ears. For a long time he didn’t even exist for humans, he had been but a mere drawing on a page of the Cosmogony; accompanying their dreams sometimes, but without them remembering him as soon as sleep left their mind. For one good reason: his sole purpose was to guard and accompany the Chosen…  
No, he corrected in his head. Even if it wasn’t for that purpose, he would do it anyway. Because Noctis was special to him… just as he was special to Noctis.

_“You will always be most welcome, my friend."_ he replied, with a flurry of smileys and hearts on the screen.

And he proceeded to coil around the boy’s neck, nuzzling and licking his cheeks, yipping happily as Noctis broke into ticklish giggles.

Yes, he thought… definitely, for him, there was nothing more enchanting that this child’s smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next prompt: Frail


	8. - END -

Ok so I've decided to stop here. Sharing it feels more like a chore than a joy, and it requires energy that I don't have at this moment. The rest will be done but when I'll have the time and will, in french, and on a personal notebook.

Thanks to... whoever read so far.


End file.
